The operating surface of the printing form cylinder in printing presses with a special integrated writing or imaging device normally has an ink-repellent silicon layer and an ink-carrying image layer. The silicon layer is converted to particles during writing and/or imaging of the operating surfaces and is thus uncovering the deeper ink-carrying layer. These silicon particles must be removed in a development step following the writing and/or imaging. This removal is difficult because the silicon particles stick in the deeper zones especially in the boundary regions.
A device for removal of silicon particles created during the direct writing and/or imaging is described in German patent No. 19600486 C1. Part of the device is a soft rubber jib running over the entire width of the printing form. The rubber jib is followed in the rotational direction of the printing form cylinder by a suction device for fetching loosened silicon particles, which is followed by an particle pickup adhesive roller. Additional means are provided for dampening and traversing of the rubber jib.
Disadvantages of this device include that the operating elements of the rubber jib, the suction device and the adhesive roller are arranged successively in the rotational direction of the printing form cylinder thus leading to large space requirements and problems in the accessibility of the printing form cylinder. It is a further disadvantage that the device securely removes only those partially loosened silicon particles which are located in the boundary regions of the deeper areas in the circumferential direction, or in the axial direction in front related to the rotational direction of the printing form cylinder. This requires additional measures also to remove the partially loosened silicon particles in the boundary regions in axial direction but in rear related to the rotational direction of the printing form cylinder.